Despite all the progress being made on transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects in Los Angeles, the long-term transportation funding picture remains uncertain. Measure J was narrowly defeated in the ballot box. The courts have backed Jerry Brown’s dissolution of Community Redevelopment Agencies. The state also continues to default on its obligation to help defray the cost of transit operations.

In the face of this uncertain future, Move LA holds its 5th Annual Transportation Conference at Union Station this Friday. The conference starts bright and early, but wraps at 3:30 p.m. so that attendees can mingle at a reception honoring outgoing City Council Transportation Committee Chair Bill Rosendahl. The afternoon portion of the conference is free or, if you arrive by bicycle and register ahead of time, the entire conference is free. Given the $75 general admission fee, it’s too bad Bike Nation isn’t up and running just yet. Registration information can be found here. A full schedule for the day can be found at the bottom of this story.

So what can be done to brighten the long term funding prospects for desirable transportation? State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the author of SB 375, the ground breaking legislation that requires transportation plans to show projected reductions in Greenhouse Gas thinks he has an answer.

Poster from Move LA's first conference on January 10, 2008

Steinberg introduces SB1, currently in “placeholder” form based on legislation introduced last year. The goal of the legislation is to make it easier for cities and municipalities to invest in regions near transit nodes and other stops.

While Steinberg may be the heaviest hitter, the conference is full of presenters with political juice. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky will be presenting on “The Big Lessons from L.A.’s Transit Revolution,” Metro Board Members Mel Wilson and Richard Katz will take part in panel discussions as will Assembly Member Bob Blumenfeld. There’s a rumor that the four major candidates for mayor will be dropping by, but that is unconfirmed at this point.

Of course, there is also a slew of union, environmental, and activist leaders taking part in various ways. Everyone from the NRDC to the Business Council to the Federation of Labor will be represented. The size and diversity of Move LA’s coalition has always been a hallmark that transit expansion need not be a partisan issue.

With all these different groups, it’s no surprise that Move LA is considering a variety of funding pots as sources of funding for our transportation future. Fees collected by the state’s “Cap and Trade” program, an increase in vehicle license fees, and public private partnerships are all on the table, and will all be discussed Friday.

And that says nothing of the Holy Grail of transportation funding, a measure that would reduce the threshold to pass a transportation funding tax. Locally, everyone is familiar with the overwhelming support, 66.1% for the failed Measure J in November. But in the Bay Area, a transit tax failed with 66.5% of the vote. Lowering the threshold to 50% such as what was needed for Proposition 32 to pass, or even 60% would see a potential rush of funding for transit and transportation.

Anyone who can’t make the conference can watch it live on Time-Warner Channel 35.

Conference Agenda:

Registration (8:00 am)

Welcome (8:30 am)

Marlene Grossman, Move LA Leadership Board Chair

Denny Zane, Executive Director, Move LA

Morning Keynote (8:45 am)

Robbie Hunter, State Building & Construction Trades Council of California

SB 1 hasn’t been written yet. The bill has been introduced but the language in it is placeholder language from the bill Steinberg had last year, SB 1156, and people are hammering out the new language now. But basically the idea is to re-deploy tax increment financing within a half mile of “high quality transit” (it’s a low bar = 15 minute headways at peak) so that all property taxes that result from land and property value increases are not put into the general fund but rather can be used to fund benefits within the half-mile area = so it’s just like redevelopment. These increases in value would be tracked from the point at which the city or county (the same entities that created redevelopment areas) decided to create these new “redevelopment” areas. Everyone is trying to decide now what should be funded. Probably first mile last mile bike/ped stuff, affordable housing, parks and open space, etc.

Gloria

There are also scholarships. Just give Gloria a call at Move LA, 310-310-2390 x 103

Word On The Street

“With 6 to 7 million cars registered in LA County, it's really laughable to hear the supposedly most progressive thinkers around on the topic go for reducing the number of autos by a mere 100,000 by 2020! Why not 3.5 million? Cut the damn things in half.”